Watch



Sept. 8, 1936. E, 'G, Sap 2,053,784

WATCH Filed May 31, 1935 61 l X\ 7 y L 10 9 INVENTOR:

frw'n G. 5e06,

H15 A ORNEY.

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 i UNITED STATES eAT-ENT OFFICE WATCH Ervin G.Seip, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Application May 31, 1935, Serial No. 24,167

13 Claims. (CI. 58-90) My invention relates to watches and moreparticularly to shock and dust protectors for watch movements and otherinstruments housed within cases.

The main object of my invention is to provide a dust and shock protectorfor watch works and the like, which is simple and economical in itsparts and very efiicient and effective in operation.

Another object is to provide means in an instrument and case assemblyfor suspending the instrument within the case to protect the sameagainst shock to which the case is subjected, said means at the sametime providing a dust proof envelope for the instrument.

A further object is to provide improved means facilitating the assemblyof a watch movement and its case.

I attain these objects by mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a watch.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modification.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, I is a watch case having a bezel 2 holding thecrystal 3 in place over the main plate 4 of the watch movementi. Theseparts, and the hands 6 of the watch are shown conventionally, certainparts being exaggerated in size for clearness of illustration.

For supporting the watch movement 5 within its case I, I provide a shockand dust protector 1, preferably formed of celluloid, the protectorbeing in the form of a bulged envelope or receptacle, as shown, the rim8 of the protector engaging the rim of the watch movement, in this casethe periphery of the plate 4.

The back or bottom 9 of the celluloid envelope is .curved outwardly toengage the back 10 of the watch case in the area of the centre thereofat l l. The opposite side walls l2 of the receptacle are curvedoutwardly to engage the opposite side walls l3 of the case Isubstantially medially thereof.

The watch movement is telescoped within the envelope, the side walls ofthe latter resiliently engaging the movement to hold the same in place,and the envelope 1 is then telescoped within the case I. The envelopethus provides simple means for assembling the watch works within itscase. The parts are held in place by the bezel 2 of the crystal 3. Todisassemble the works requires merely the removal of the bezel and theenvelope, the works thereupon being readily slipped from the case.

Referring to Fig. 2, the rim I4 of the dust and shock protector I5 issecured to the rim it of the instrument I! by a downturned flange I8 onthe dial l9. This arrangement suspends the instrument within theenvelope or receptacle, the bottom 20 and side walls 2| of the envelopebeing spaced from the instrument and'from the case 22, except at thepoints 23 and 24, to permit the curved walls to flex and absorb shocksto which the case is subjected.

The frictional engagement between the side walls of the case andcelluloid protector is suflicient to hold the'parts in fixed assembledrelation, and the contact between the rims of the instrument andprotector is such that a very effective dust seal is provided for theenvelope.

While I prefer to use celluloid for my dust and shock protector, thismaterial having the desired properties of flexibility, lightness, anddust imperviousness, the protector may be made of other materials suchas hard rubber, fibre, metal and the like. The ideal material is oneknown as viscoloid this material being resilient and transparent, andhaving the desired properties for my use. A transparent envelope permitsthe inspection of the instrument without exposing the same to dust andother foreign matter.

Viscoloid is a particularly clear and high grade of celluloid.

While my improvements are especially well adapted for watches, theinvention is also applicable to meters and measuring devices whereindelicate instruments are housed within cases subject to shock.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that I provide a very eiiective means forassembling an instrument within its casing, said means constituting adust proof envelope and a shock absorber for the instrument within thecasing. My improvements are simple and economical, and are veryeflicient and efiective for the purpose intended.

I claim:

1. The combination with an instrument, and a case therefor, of meansacting to suspend the instrument within the case and to envelop theinstrument in a dust proof shield, said means comprising a transparentcelluloid receptacle having a convex bottom and outwardly curved sidewalls adapted to tangentially contact the back and side wallsrespectively of the case, the rim of the receptacle engaging the rim ofthe instrument, and the parts being otherwise spaced to allow the wallsand bottom of the receptacle to flex to absorb shocks to which the caseis likely to be subjected.

2. The combination with a watch movement, and a case therefor, of meansacting to suspend the movement within the case and to envelop theinstrument in a dust proof shield, said means comprising a flexibletransparent receptacle having a convex bottom and outwardly curved sidewalls adapted to contact the back and side walls respectively of thecase, the rim of the receptacle engaging the rim of the movement, andthe parts being spaced to allow the walls and bottom of the receptacleto flex to absorb case shocks. i

3. The combination with an instrument, and a case therefor, of meansacting to suspend the instrument Within the case and to envelop theinstrument'in a dust proof shield, said means comprising a receptaclehaving a conve'xbottom and outwardly curved side walls adapted to tan.-gentially contact the back and side walls respectively of the case, therim of the receptacle engaging the'rim of the instrument, and the partsbeing otherwise spaced to allow the walls and bottom of the receptacleto flex to absorb case shocks.

4. The combination with a watch movement, and a watch case for saidmovement, of a celluloid envelope for said watch movement adapted tokeep dust therefrom, the rim of the movement engaging'the rim of saidenvelope so that the movement is suspended therein, the envelope beingbulged to otherwise avoid touching the movement and engaging the sidewalls and back of said'case at spaced points, the walls and bottom ofthe envelope being thus left free to flex between the points to absorbshocks to which the case is subjected.

5. The combination with a watch movement,

and a watch case for said movement, of an envelope for said watchmovement, the rim of the movement engaging the rim of said envelope sothat the movement is suspended therein, the envelope being bulged andengaging the side walls and back of said case at spaced points, thewalls and bottom of the envelope being thus left free to flex betweenthepoints to absorb shocks to which the case is subjected.

6. The combination with an instrument movement, and an instrument casefor said movement, of a transparent envelope for said movement adaptedto keep dust therefrom, the rim-of the movement being received by therim of said envelope; the envelope being conformed to contact the side.walls and back of said case at spaced points, the walls and bottom oftheenvelope being thus left free to flex between the contact points toabsorb case shocks.

7. A watch comprising a case, a movement, and

. protector, the bottom of said protector engaging the back of said caseonly in the area of the center thereof, and the opposite side walls ofthe protector tangentially engaging the opposite side walls of the case,the parts being otherwise spaced to permit theprotector to flex toabsorb shocks to which the case is likely to be subjected.

9. A watch comprising a case, a movement, and

a shock absorbing envelope for said movement 7 disposed within saidcase, the envelope being formed of imperforate flexible material shapedto receive the movement and engage only the center of the back and sidewalls of the case.

10. The combination with an instrument, and a case therefor, of a shockabsorbing envelope for said instrument having convex walls and bottom,and the. bottom of said envelope engaging the back of said case only ata single point, and the opposite side walls of the envelope engaging theopposite side walls of the case, the parts being otherwise spaced topermit the protector to flex to absorb shocks. 7

11. The combination with an instrument and a case therefor, of a shockand dust protector for said instrument disposed within said case, saidprotector being in the form of a bowl and engaging the back andsidewalls of said case to provide a suspension for the instrument andconsisting of flexible material adapted to absorb shocks.

12. A watch comprising a case, a movement, and a shock and dustprotector for said movement disposed within said case, the protector 7being formed of imperforate flexible material shaped to receive themovement and tangentially contact. only. the back and side walls of thecase and engage the upper periphery of the movement throughout saidperiphery.

13. ,A watch, comprising an outer casing, a curved inner casing ofcelluloidin said outer casing, the back and side walls of said outercasing being in tangential contact with the inner casing, and amovementsuspended. within said inner casing from the rim thereof.

RVIN G. SEIP.

